http://mmajunkie.comATLANTA – As so many folks predicted, Che Mills provided little more than a speed bump on Rory MacDonald’s road to welterweight contendership;

The top Canadian prospect beat down his British counterpart with a round and a half of brutal ground and pound to scores a TKO victory.

The fight co-headlined tonight’s UFC 145 event at Atlanta’s Phillips Arena. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on Facebook and FX.

Mills struck first and landed some heavy punches. After being dazed by one of the blows, MacDonald scored a takedown, quickly recovered and delivered some heavy ground and pound. MacDonald easily postured up and rained down a hammerfist to open a cut and then moved from side control to the crucifix position. MacDonald delivered a stream of punches from the top and then mixed in elbows for more cuts. He then hopped to mount, took Mills’ back, and delivered crushing punches from behind before the round mercifully ended.

MacDonald then scored an early takedown in the second round and continued his brutal ground-and-pound assault. After a few punches, Mills gave up his back, rolled again, and then ate a dizzying storm of punches that forced the ref to intervene.

The TKO stoppage came at the 2:20 mark of the round.

“Che was a great opponent,” MacDonald said. “He didn’t get much respect in the media because of his lack of fights in the UFC, but I took him very seriously.

“I just stayed on him and tried to stay tight in all my positions. I wanted to flatten him out and finish it.”

MacDonald (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who said the only think he’s lacking is top-level experience, now has won three straight fights, and the lone blemish of his career remains a TKO loss to Carlos Condit in a fight he had been winning. Mills (14-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC), meanwhile, snaps a five-fight win streak and suffers the first knockout loss of his nine-year career.

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.